Let’s be real — thick hair is a blessing and a challenge. As someone who’s had a full head of it since I can remember (photo evidence coming soon — imagine a chia pet with bangs), I know the struggle of trying to tame, smooth, and hydrate thick, coarse hair year-round. Whether it’s bone-dry in the winter or frizz-central in the summer, thick hair needs consistent care.
Hydration, Always
The first thing I learned? Thick hair is almost always dry. And dry hair = breakage, dullness, and that stubborn puffiness that makes it feel like your hair has a mind of its own. My go-to fix: Kérastase Nutritive. Their hydrating shampoos are rich enough to nourish without weighing your hair down — exactly what thick hair needs. Think of it like one of Buffy’s smoothies from The Ashbourne, fuelling your mind & body… but with Nutritive it’s for your strands. (Don’t forget the Masque!)
Add Some Hair Water
If you haven’t tried the Hyaluronic Acid Serum from Kérastase, it’s basically water for your hair — but better. I like to apply it on towel-dried hair before anything else. It gives your hair that inner hydration it’s thirsty for (especially in dry climates or heated spaces during the winter). Hydrated hair = stronger hair.
Prime Before You Protect
Here’s where the magic happens. Before you reach for your heat protectant or blow dryer, always apply a Kérastase oil (my faves are Chroma and Blonde Absolu) on your lengths and ends. This helps smooth out the hair fiber and ensures your heat protectant spreads evenly — otherwise, it just sits in patches, and that’s not the protection we want.
Think of thick, coarse hair like an open pinecone. When it’s dry and untreated, it soaks up everything but stays rough and fragile. We want to close that pinecone up — lock in hydration, smooth the cuticle, and give it strength. And that takes layering products in the right order: hydrate → seal → protect → style.
From Chia Pet to Shine Queen
Imagine my younger self with hair so wide it needed its own seatbelt…or just see for yourself in this beauty school photo (note: the iconic laser beam backdrop!).
It wasn’t until I started using Kérastase that I found a routine that actually worked. My hair became manageable. Shiny. Soft. It finally felt like the hair I dreamed of having. And now, I get to share that with all of you — through the products I trust and use every day in the salon every day.
So, if you’ve ever felt like your thick hair is a full-time job, just know there is a better way. Keep following along for more tips, real-life before’s & after’s, and product breakdowns that actually make sense.
Because at Grotto, we’re not here to fight your hair — we’re here to work with it.
xo,
Jillian
